Council responds to concerns as new electric vehicle charging bays are planned in Wellingborough residential area

A proposal from North Northants Council (NNC) to install new electric vehicle (EV) parking bays in Wellingborough’s Hatton Avenue has drawn the disapproval of a number of residents in the area.

With the gradual transition to EVs the town is evolving with the times, but the disruption caused as a result of new parking bays has been highlighted with the council now responding to the concerns.

A resident of Hatton Avenue said: “We’re not opposed to charging points, it’s where we are.

“If you’re going to make these proposals, then where are the other four people that will lose their parking go?

“We don’t feel that the council has taken our comments on board.

"If we can come to a compromise that would be great.”

A council spokesman said: “The objections were received and carefully considered as part of the review of the public traffic regulation order consultation.

"The sale of new electric vehicles is doubling year on year, and the council has a responsibility to those residents without off- road parking to help them make the move to electric vehicles by providing convenient, local, charging facilities.

“If the council doesn’t build a network of local on-street charging points for residents then the increasing numbers of electric vehicle drivers will be denied the convenience of being able to charge close to where they live.”

After Northamptonshire received a £3.25m boost to fund EV charging infrastructure in April, proposals were made to install two charging points at six locations in Kettering, Desborough, Rushden and Wellingborough, each serving two parking bays.

Of the four new dedicated spots, two of the bays would be electric vehicle-only, with the others being used for electric and non-electric cars. The council hopes this will minimise the impact on parking availability, and make the street more accessible for people should they decide to purchase an electric vehicle in the future.

Upon gathering public feedback on the parking bays by way of a flyer sent to residents of Hatton Avenue, 13 objections followed, most citing obstructions on the highway and existing traffic and parking problems as the main concern.

One objection said: “Your reason for doing this has been given as improving parking amenities but it will have the opposite effect.

"The council is meant to improve people’s lives not make their lives worse.”

With the government plan to phase out the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, a major barrier that prevents many people from making the switch is the lack of off-street parking that is needed for people to charge their car from home.

When asked why Hatton Avenue was considered for the electric vehicle bays instead of adjacent areas such as Debdale Road and Hatton Street, a council spokesman added: “The council is looking at all streets which have no, or limited, off-street parking.”If there are additional locations, these can be considered in addition to those already identified such as Hatton Avenue as more sites will be needed to support the transition to EVs.

"It is not a case of moving the EV bays as more charging points will be needed in other streets like Hatton Avenue to improve access so that residents without off-street parking can charge close to home.”